Portable water-closet



4(No Model.)

A. J. NILES.

PORTABLE WATER GLOSET.

Patented 1V1a.1n31, 1891.

NiTnn STATES PATENT union.

ARTHUR J. NILES, OF LANCASTER, NFV HAMPSHIRE.

PORTABLE WATER-CLOSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,426, dated March 31, 1891.

Application tiled August 5, 1890. Serial No. 361,139. (No model.)

'o @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. NILES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Coos and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable lVater- Closets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My present invention contemplates an improvement over the portable water-closet shown and described in my former application, filed May 2, 1890, Serial No. 359,278, the object in view being to simplify and cheapen the construction and produce a more efficient and easily-operated arrangement of parts.

lVith these ends in View theinvention may be said to consist in the peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring' to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical central section through the complete structure, showing the parts in their normal position; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the position of the parts after use, and Fig. 3 a top view or plan with the cover removed.

I first provide a base 2, which consists of a pail or receptacle, preferably circular in form and provided with a top 3, having at its center a hinged cover or lid 4, which opens downward into the receptacle and is kept normally closed by a suitable spring 5, secured to said top 3 and bearing at its free end against said lid. This top is also provided with another hinged lid 6, arranged at or near its periphery and adapted to open out and form an orifice through which the contents of the pail 2 can be emptied. The upper edge of the latter extends above the tcp 3 and forms a flange From the center of the bottom l0 of the pail 9 is erected a stand-pipe or tubular guide or socket 11, which opens out of said bottom and also has an open upper end.

The hopper is ofthe usual form, consisting of the bowl l2, vertical pipe or tube 13, leading downwardly therefrom, and the lateral annular flange 14, extending from said bowl and formed integral therewith. This hopper is contained within the pail 9, and its lower end-t'. e., the pipe l-fits within and telescopes with the stand-pipe l1, having sliding movement therein.

The receptacle 9 is covered by a top 15, having a suitable central opening 1G over the hopper and an annular depending flange 17, fitting within the upper end of said receptacle, and the hopper is connected to this cover or top by means of a circular band or strip 1S of suitable flexible material-such as rubber, canvas, or the like-connecting the outside edge of the flange 14: of the hopper-bowl and the inside of the band or flange 17 depending from the cover 15, and this connecting-web forms a flexible hinge, which is also airtight.

The water-pailis furtherrendered air-tight by means of a ring 19, fitting snuglyover the upper end of the stand-pipe 11, and a flexible webbing 20, of conical or funnel-like form, connecting said ring and thelower surface of the hopper-bowl 12, thuspreventing the escape of air between the telescoping tubes, and on account of its flexibility maintaining this air-tight joint when the hopper is pressed down, as hereinafter described.

Inside the conical webbing 2O are disposed suitable coil-springs 2l, which fit between the upper surface of the ring 19 and the lower surface ot' the bowl 12, and thus act to keep the latter in elevated position ready for use, and the former down tight upon the pipe 1l. I also provide an arrangement for the introduction of fresh air, which consists of an inwardly-projecting tube 22, which opens out of the depending flange of the cover 15, beneath the flexible webbing 1S, and registers with an orifice 23 in the upper end of the receptacle 9. The inner end of this tube is closed by a hinged lid 21, behind the projecting lower end of which is disposed a coilspring 25, which is connected at its opposite end to a lug 26, projecting from the tube, and acts to push the lid shut against the end of the latter.` 'lhe upper end of this lid is connected by a flexible cord 27 to the under side of the flange 14 of the hopper, and this connecting-cord is of such length that when the hopper is in its normal elevated position the lid will be held partially open against the pressure of the closing-spring 25. A waterro pipe 28 is secured at its upper end in the bowl 12, opening into the same, and thence extends down through the flange 14 and nearly to the bottom of the receptacle 9, its lowerend also being left open.

The mechanism for operating the hopper consists of a forked lever 29, the diverging arms of which extend on either side of the hopper and are pivotally connected thereto at its center. This lever has its fulcrum in 2o the lower end of a rigid arm 31, depending from the under side of the top or cover 15, and beyond this fulcrum on the end of the lever is attached an upright handle 32, which extends up through said cover and has on its 25 end a suitable knob 33, to be grasped in the hand. Beneath the lower end of the hopperpipe 13 and in the space between the bottom 10 of the receptacle 9 and the top 3 of the bottom pail 2 is located a basin or trap 34, made 3o bowl-shaped and closing the lower end of the stand-pipe 11. A rigid arm extends from the under side of this bowl and is pivoted to a stud or post 3G, ldepending from the bottom 10, and the basin is held up against the pipe 35 by a spring 37, connecting the arm 35 and said bottom. It will be seen that this basin comes directlyT over the central lid 4 in the top of the pail 2.

When constructed as thus described, the

4o operation of my device is as follows: The cover 15 and connections-4L. c., the hopper and its appurtenances-are removed and the pail 9 filled with water, when the cover will be replaced with the hopper-tube 13, telescoping with the stand-pipe 11, and the ring 19 fitting the latter. After using the closet the knob 33 is grasped and the lever pulled up, thus pushing down its forked end and with it the hopper, thus causing the cord 27, at-

5o tached to the lid 24 of the air-inlet tube, to

relax, when the spring 25 will close said airtube and the receptacle 9 will become airtight. It will now be seen that the pressure of the fiange 14 and webbing 1S upon the air and water will cause the latter to be forced up through the pipe 2 8 and into the top of the hopper. The contents of the latter, to-

gether with the water, flow down its pipe 13, but in the meantime said pipe has been forced 6o down upon the basin 34, pushing the latter against the lid 4, and thus opening said lid into the lower pail 2. The basin is thus pushed down into said lower pail and empties into the latter, as seen more clearly in Fig. 2.

When the water has owed through the hopper in sufficient quantity to thorougly cleanse it, the handle of the lever 29 will be released, when the springs 21 act to return the hopper to its raised position and the basin 34 and lid 4 will again close, being actuated by their respective springs. Th en the'hopper returns to its original position, it draws taut the cor'd 27, and thus the lid 24 of the air-pipe 22 1s opened and a fresh supply of air en ters the receptacle 9, when the closet is again ready for use. Thus I provide a compact and portable water-closet, which can be very conveniently and easily employed with the best results.

It is evident that many slight changes which might suggest themselves to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates could be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise construction herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, Awhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a water-closet, the combination, with a water-receptacle, of a vertically-movable hopper contained therein, a suitable connection between the hopper and the sides of the receptacle which renders that portion of the latter containing water virtually air-tight, and an inlet-pipe leading from the water to the hopper, whereby the downward movement of the latter forces the water into its interior, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a water-closet, the combination, with a water-receptacle, of a vertically-movable hopper contained therein, a iiexible .diaphragm connecting said hopper and the sldes of the receptacle above the water contained in the latter, and an inlet-pipe leading from the receptacle into said hopper, whereby the downward movement of the latter forces the water into its interior, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a water-closet, the combination of a water-receptacle, a stationary guide within the same, a hopper consisting of a bowl and pipe leading therefrom, the latter fitting said guide, a lateral tiange extending from the bowl of said hopper, a fiexible connection between said flange and the inside of the waterreceptacle, mechanism, substantially as described, tor forcing said hopper and flange down upon the air and water in said receptacle, and a suitable inlet-pipe leading 'from the latter into the hopper, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a water-closet, the combination of a waterreceptacle, a stand-pipe within the same,a hopper consisting of a bowl and pipe leading therefrom, thelatter telescoping with said staudpipe, a flexible connection between the bowl of said hopper' and the inside of the water-receptacle, a similar connection between said bowl and said stand-pipe, mech anism, substantially as described, for forcing the hopper and connections down upon the IDO IIO

air and water in said receptacle, and a suitable inlet-pipe leading from the latter into the hopper, as and for the purpose set fort-h. 5. In a water-closet., the combination of a water-receptacle, a stand-pipe within the same, a suitable @over to said receptacle, a hopper consisting` ot'a bowl and pipe leading therefrom, the latter teleseoping with said stand-pipe and the former being provided with a lateral flange, a ilexible oonneetionbetween said flange and said receptacle-cover, a ring fitting over the upperend of said standpipe, a flexible connection between said ring and the ho pper-bowl, a pipe leading from the latter to the lower part oi' the Water-reeep tacle, a lever operating to force the hopper and connections down upon the air and water contained in said receptacle, and springs disposed beneath said hopper and arranged to return the latter to its normal position, as set forth.

6. In a water-closet, the Combination of a water-receptacle, a vertically-movable hopper contained therein and arranged to be forced down upon the air and water in said receptacle, a fresh-air tube opening out of the latter and closed at itsinner end bya spring-actuated lid, and a Ilexible connection between said lid and the hopper, whereby the former is automatically opened, as and for the purpose described.

7. In a Water-closet, the combination of a water-receptacle, a vertically-movable hopper contained therein and arranged to be forced down upon the air and water in said receptacle, and a basin or trap hinged to the bottom of said receptacle and closing the lower en d of said hopper, said basin arranged to be tipped by said hopper in its downward movement, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR J. NILES.

Witnesses:

FLETCHER LORD, ORVIL A. EVANS. 

